Interlocking golf gloves



April 28, 1970 c w Q B INTERLOCKING GOLF GLOVES Filed May 9, 1968 United States Patent 3,508,280 INTERLOCKING GOLF GLOVES Charles W. Osborn, Cissna Park, Ill. 60924 Filed May 9, 1968, Ser. No. 727,809 Int. Cl. A41d 19/00 US. Cl. 2159 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE One glove of a pair of interlocking golf gloves has one component of a tape fastener secured to it in a first area BACKGROUND The present invention relates to an aid in improving ones golf game; more particularly, it relates to a pair of interlocking golf gloves which prevent the breakdown of a golfers hand grip and help to insure a proper wrist orientation at the moment of impact.

There are many important aspects necessary to achieve a proper golf swing, such as correctly addressing the ball, proper movement of arms, shoulders, and hips during the back swing, and assuming the correct stance. However, most authorities agree that the single most important factor in achieving a good golf swing is the manner in which the hands grip the club.

Gloves are used by most golfers to achieve a firm hold on the grip of the golf club; and the most common form of glove, for a right-handed golfer, is a half glove (i.e. one which covers only the palm and back of the hand and not the fingers and thumb) for the left hand; and such half gloves are usually provided with a strip of material such as loops or crossings of rubber extending diagonally across the palm of the glove to more firmly establish a good grip or holdon the club.

SUMMARY The present invention provides a pair of interlocking golf gloves which preferably are full gloves covering all of the fingers and thumbs as well as the palms of both hands. Full golf gloves are known, although they are not the most commonly used type of golf gloves as described above.

The gloves of the present invention are adapted to interlock with each other when the proper hold or grip is assumed on a golf club so that the hand grip does not break down (and which occurs when the hands slip apart) during the swing and particularly during the breaking ofthe wrists during impact.

The gloves are provided with tape fastener material so that the thumb of the left hand (for example, in the case of a right-hand golfer) interlocks with the palm of the right-hand which overlaps it, and the tip of the little finger on the right hand interlocks with the base of the index and middle fingers at the back of the left hand.

With this preferred arrangement, it has been found that the placement of the hands is firmly secured throughout the swing and that the hands do not slip relative to one another during the breaking of the wrists. This arrangement has been found to have the further advantage that once a proper grip is assumed, it tends to force the wrists in a slightly cocked condition to lead the club at the moment of impact. Thus, the club head is at its maximum velocity during impact to achieve greater distance.

In an alternative embodiment, the grip of the club shaft may be provided to interlock with either of the gloves; and in this application, either one or the other of the gloves may provide the interlocking. However, if the complete grip area of the club shaft is provided with a tape fastener element, it may be desirable to use a pair of full gloves for comfort.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments accompanied by the attached drawing.

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 illustrates a typical golf hand grip wherein the golfer is wearing interlocking gloves according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the palm area or inside of the pair of gloves of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates the back area of the left-hand glove of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, the two interlocking gloves according to the present Invention are generally designated by reference numerals 10 and 11 respectively. The gloves 10 and 11 are shown on the hands of a golfer as he assumes a conventional golf grip on a club 12 having an upper grip 13- for placement of the hands.

The grip shown is, of course, that for a right-handed golfer in which the left hand (wearing the glove 11) assumes a relatively higher position on the club 12, and the right-hand (wearing the glove 10) assumes a lower position on the grip 13 of the club 12. The gloves may be used by a golfer employing either the overlapping grip (in which the little finger of the right hand for a righthanded golfer, overlaps the index finger of the left hand), the interlocking grip (with the little finger of the right hand extending between the index and middle fingers of the left hand) or the so-called baseball grip (with the little finger of the right hand fully engaging the grip of the club). In either of these hand grips, the thumb of the upper (left) hand extends along the club shaft and is located above it, and the lower (right) hand wraps around the upper hand so that the thumb of the upper hand fits in the crook formed between the base of the thumb and theheel of the palm.

Each of the gloves 10 and 11, shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, is a full glove covering the palm and back of the hand as well as the fingers and thumb portions. Any such glove may be suitable for use with the inventive principle; however, better quality gloves of the type presently commercially available are made of kid leather.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the gloves 10 and 11 are provided respectively with elastic wrist bands 12 and 13 together with interconnecting snap fasteners designated respectively 14 and 15 for firmly fitting the glove on the hand.

The right-hand glove 10 is provided with an extended area or pad 17 covering a substantial portion of the palm. The pad 17 is composed of the pile portion of a conventional tape fastener. Such tape fasteners consist of a pile portion and a lock portion; and one suitable fastener is marketed under the trade name Velco tape fastener, and is manufactured by John Dritz and Sons, New York, NY. This type of fastener has a felt portion or element of nylon and resembles a heavy woven, carpetlike surface for engaging the complementary part of the fastener which is referred to as the lock portion of the fastener tape. The lock portion is composed of a great number of closely-spaced nylon hooks projecting outwardly from a base layer of nylon. When the two elements are brought together, the hooks of the lock portion interlink with the fabric of the pile portion; and the two elements thus interlock thereby requiring a noticeable pulling or striping effort in order to separate the two. The two elements when thus locked together are effectively prevented from sliding relative to one another; and

the only method of separating the two is to strip them.

apart.

The corresponding element for locking with the pile pad 17 is a lock strip 18 extending along the outer portion of the left thumb on the glove 11.

The lock strip 18 is integral with the glove 11 such that when the left hand holds the club as shown in FIG. 1, the lock strip 18 forms a generally vertical plane; thus, when the right hand is folded over the left hand, the pile pad 17 is engaged by the lock strip 18. The pile pad 17 extends over a substantially greater area than the lock strip 18 so that, as is commonly known and taught, the right hand may be placed either relatively low (to achieve hooking of the ball after impact) or relatively high (to achieve a slice) relative to the normal grip.

To provide additional interlocking action in the case of the interlocking and overlapping hand grips, the interior portion of the little finger of the right hand glove is provided with an area designated 19 of the lock portion of the tape fastener; and the corresponding pile portion of the fastener is located at the base of the separation between the index and middle fingers on the lefthand glove 11. This pile portion may take the general shape of a U as shown at reference numeral 20 in FIG. 3; and it is located on the back portion of the glove 11.

Thus, when the proper hand grip shown in FIG. 1 is assumed, the palm pad 17 of the right-hand glove becomes interlocked with the lock strip 18 on the thumb of the left-hand glove 11; and the lock tab 19 becomes interlocked with the U-shaped pile member 20 on the lefthand glove 11.

It will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that any number of methods may be used for attaching the tape fastener elements to the gloves 10 and 11; however, they are preferably sewn thereto. A strong adhesive may also be used; or the tape fasteners may be formed integrally with the gloves themselves which may also be made of flexible nylon. It will also be noted that for a left-handed golfer, the pad 17 must be on the palm of the left hand; and the strip 18 must be on the thumb of the right-hand glove. Likewise, the finger tab 19 and the U-shaped member 20 must be interchanged.

This arrangement has been found to have two significant advantages from the point of view of training a person to assume a proper golf grip or to correct an ill-formed grip. One of the advantages is that the grip formed by the two hands does not break during a swingthat is, the hands do not slip away from each other. Most of the slip between the hands, if it does occur, is noticed in the thumb of the higher hand pulling out of the pocket formed by the crook in the lower hand on the club. Thus, the present invention, by virtue of having the pad 17 and the strip 18 in this location, prevents such slippage. This leads to a further advantage in that during impact, the wrists are still slightly cocked so that they tend to lead the club at the moment of impact and thus are ahead of the ball. This is advantageous in imparting the maximum momentum to the ball by hitting it at the moment when the club has maximum velocity, namely, just prior to the time when the wrists are completely uncooked.

It will also be apparent that either of the gloves 10 or 11 need not necessarily be a full glove. For example, the thumb and the fingers (except for the little finger) of the right hand glove could be deleted; and the little finger and ring finger of the left-hand glove together with the outer portions of the other two fingers cOuld be deleted.

Turning now to FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative embodiment of the present invention wherein the grip of a club shaft is designated 24; and it is provided with a sheath 25 of the pile element of the tape fastener. In this embodiment, which may be for a left-handed golfer, the right hand glove is designated 26; and it is provided with a first strip of the lock element 27 extending diagonally of the palm of the glove from the heel of the palm; and a plurality of strips 28 of the lock element extending longitudinally of the interior surfaces of the finger portions of the glove.

As is well known, the pressure portions or areas in the upper hand of the grip is between the heel portion of that hand and the three fingers excluding the index finger. Similarly, the left hand glove for this situation would be provided with lock strips on the two middle fingers similar to those shown at 28 in the right hand glove; and these would serve to lock the lower hand to the club. However, such locking action can be achieved in the normal manner as by interlocking the finger of the left hand between the index finger and the middle finger of the right hand, it being desirable to firmly interlock the upper hand with the club grip since this is the hand that usually slips relative to the lower hand when a hand grip breaks down.

Having thus described two preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that. certain materials may be substituted for those which have been described and that certain other configurations may be employed for the placement of the interlocking fastener elements.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of gloves including a first glove adapted to fit the upper hand as it assumes a golf grip, said glove provided with an integral element of a tape fastener in the palm thereof; and a second glove provided with the complementary element of said tape fastener extending along the thumb portion of said second glove for interlocking with said integral element portion of said first glove when said golf grip is assumed.

2. The gloves according to claim 1 further comprising: a second element of a tape fastener on the little finger of said first glove; and a complementary element, of said fastener located adjacent the base of the separation between the index and middle fingers on said second glove for interlocking with said second fastener element of said first glove when said grip is assumed.

3. The gloves of claim 2 wherein said first element of said first glove is a pad and extends over an area of the palm whereby said element of said second glove may be placed at a number of relative locations along said pad while still firmly interlocking therewith such that the hand in said first glove may assume a number of positions relative to said hand of said second glove in a golf grip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,255,461 6/1966 Bullock 2--159 3,348,238 10/1967 Hydock 2-161 3,394,408 7/1968 Bush 2-159 3,408,657 11/1968 Gallagher 2-159 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,013,381 12/1965 Great Britain. 1,023,779 3/1966 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-166 

